Pace ace Brett Lee has urged Stuart MacGill to return for next summer’s Twenty20 Big Bash tournament, saying the former Test spinner could go on for a few more years yet if he wanted to.
MacGill teared up as he walked through a guard of honour following the Sydney Sixers’ seven-wicket triumph over Perth Scorchers in Saturday’s T20 final at the WACA Ground.
The 40-year-old played a handy role in the win, returning figures of 1-20 off four overs to help restrict Perth to 5-156, before the Sixers cruised to the victory target with seven balls to spare.
It took MacGill’s tournament tally to seven wickets at an average of 23.7 and an economy rate of 6.64.
MacGill, who turns 41 next month, will play on in the newly-formed Bangladesh Premier League next month and has also nominated for the Indian Premier League player auction.
The ageing tweaker has hinted he is unlikely to return for another season in Australia, but Lee said MacGill would be welcomed back with open arms if he changed his mind.
“When we did that guard of honour, Stuart MacGill teared up massively. He’s finally had a chance now to say goodbye to cricket, even though I still think he should play for a few more seasons,” Lee said.
“He’s the comeback kid.
“It’s a miracle story at 40 years of age to come back and play the way he has.
“And to think of what he has done with the guys back in the dressing room and also on the field is an amazing story.
“I would love him to come back.”
Lee’s opening over proved to be the defining moment of Saturday’s final, with the 35-year-old snaring the key scalps of Herschelle Gibbs (0) and Luke Ronchi (2) to leave Perth in all sorts of trouble at 2-2.
Sixers opener Moises Henriques then did the damage with the bat, cracking 70 off 41 balls to earn man-of-the-match honours.
Scorchers all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who continued his fine form with an unbeaten 77 off 57 balls, described the loss as shattering.
But the 20-year-old said he was looking forward to linking up with older brother Shaun for Australia’s two-match Twenty20 series against India, starting on Wednesday.
Shaun has endured a horror summer, tallying just 17 runs over six Test innings in the 4-0 series win over India.
“He’s pretty down. No one wants to go through a rut like this,” Mitchell said.
“But I’m sure he’s going to come out of it.
“It’s not through a lack of hard work. It’s just one of those things. I’m sure he’ll bounce back in the Twenty20s.”
Mitchell declared himself 100 per cent fit for the T20 series against India despite suffering cramps in his calves and hamstrings during the loss to the Sixers.
